Each year at the Under the Big Sky Buddy Walk, organizer Joan Redeen shares the same quote with the crowd: “People with Down syndrome are perfect human beings who just happen to live in an imperfect world.”

“I wholeheartedly believe that,” Redeen explained. “They have so much to teach us.”

Redeen has a 24-year-old son who has Down syndrome. On the day Jared was born, Redeen made a decision: Jared needs to learn to live in the world and the world needs to learn to live with him.

“That won’t happen without inclusion,” Redeen said.

That’s her motivation for organizing the Buddy Walk. The goal of the event is to promote awareness, inclusion and acceptance of people with Down syndrome.

This year’s Under the Big Sky Buddy Walk will be held on Saturday, Oct. 3, at the University of Great Falls, 1301 20th Street South. Registration starts at 10:30 a.m. and the walk gets underway at 11.

New this year is an art showing held in conjunction with the walk as part of the First Friday Art Walk.

Local photographer Sara Young took portraits of five individuals with Down syndrome. Those portraits will be on display at Belles and Lace Bridal, 320 Central Ave., from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday.

The Friday Art Walk will be the first time the people who were photographed or their families will see the photos.

To accompany the portraits, the individuals who were pictured made artwork that will also be on display.

Redeen got the idea to add a Friday night event from the Buddy Walk held in Missoula. In Missoula, the night before the walk they had a social at a local coffee shop, where photos of people with Down syndrome were on display.

“I thought, ‘gee, we need to add that element to ours in some fashion,’” Redeen said.

“I loved the portrayal of people with Down syndrome living normal lives,” she added. “That was all I wanted to show – our kids are just like your kids.”

Redeen had previously attended an event where Young had a photo booth. She asked Young to partner on the project, and Young was happy to join in.

“I love doing stuff like this,” she said.

Young plans to give digital copies of the photos to the people she photographed, and they can buy prints.

The portraits will also be on display Saturday at the walk.

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Participants of the Under the Big Sky Buddy Walk make their way around the campus of the University of Great Falls in 2014.(Photo: TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO)

The walk is open to everyone and is free.

“Our walk is not a fundraiser,” Redeen said.

She didn’t want to exclude anyone who wouldn’t be able to pay for registration or make a donation.

“I want anybody anywhere in the community to come,” she said.

However, donations are accepted.

The walk makes four loops around UGF’s Providence Plaza, which adds up to about a mile.

“If you can’t walk you can still come,” Redeen said.

People are welcome to walk as much or as little of that mile as they want.

The event, now in its sixth year, typically attracts about 500 participants.

The Buddy Walk was originally developed by the National Down Syndrome Society in 1995 to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October and to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. The Buddy Walk has grown from 17 walks in 1995 to nearly 300 walks planned for 2015 worldwide.

The Great Falls walk is in its sixth year.

Under the Big Sky Buddy Walk

What: Walk to raise awareness of Down syndrome

When: Saturday, Oct. 3. Registration begins at 10:30. Walk is at 11.

Where: University of Great Falls

Photo show: Photos of people with Down syndrome will be on display during the First Friday Art Walk at Belles and Lace.